


One Day at a Time

by ginnybean



Series: In Another World [9]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, These Won't Be in Chronological Order, Vignettes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22843984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginnybean/pseuds/ginnybean
Summary: Sometimes things work out differently. Sometimes Adelaide falls in love with a man on the run.
Relationships: Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: In Another World [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1436416
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**WINTER YEAR 1**

The Winter Star Festival the town put on was very different from the one her office had put on last year. Her department has been divide into two so that each group could attend the so-called party, it was really just an extended lunch break. It had consisted of a sheet cake and one roll of streamers across an old unheated conference room. Technically there had been a gift exchange but since it had to be a Joja product under 10G no one had really gotten anything good. She thought she had gotten a candle but she couldn’t really remember.

Here people actually looked happy and decorations were everywhere. Also she was actually on speaking terms with her gift giver this year. Evelyn had smiled at her and wrapped her in a warm hug that smelled of cookies when she has unwrapped her scarf. It was a little lumpy since it had been a long time since she had crocheted anything but Evelyn had loved it.

Adelaide helped herself to a glass of cinder. She was watching the lights on the tree when she felt a small hand tap on her arm. She looked down to see Jas. The girl had one hand behind her back and looked a little nervous.

“Hi, Jas.”

“Hello Miss Adelaide.”

“Are you having a nice time?” Adelaide asked when she didn’t say anything else.

Jas nodded. “Yeah…I got something for you.” She held out her little hand to show Adelaide a Rainbow Shell. It was free of the sand that loved in hide in its little groves. It also looked super shiny.

“Oh thank you.” She took it from her.“Is this my star present?”

“Yeah. Shane said big girls like shiny things. These are pretty and shiny. I don’t like clams. There are things inside them.

She kept herself from laughing. She was pretty sure this wasn’t what Shane meant when he said big girls like shiny things. However the shell was pretty so she really had no complaints.

“I like them too. The colors are really pretty.”

Jas smiled. “They are! I’m glad you were mine this year. You’re very nice.”

“Thank you, Jas. You’re nice too.”

“Bye!” Jas ran off to join Vincent, soon they were making snow angels.

“So what did she end up giving you?” asked a gruff voice.

She was a little surprised to see that Shane was willing to talk to her. However since it involved Jas, the only thing he seemed to care about, it wasn’t terribly shocking. They hadn’t really talked since they had shared some beers by the pond.

“A shell.” She held it up to show him. “Apparently a little bird told her big girls like shiny things.”

“Ah well…that is shiny.”

“Yes, but I doubt it would impress Haley if anyone beside Jas, or maybe Vincent, gave it to her.”

“Good thing you aren’t as vapid as she is.”

“Shane, that’s not nice.”

“I’m not nice.”

She sighed, she really didn’t have the patience for his self-deprecation. “So you keep saying. Can you say something good about yourself?”

“I…what?” he asked, clearly taken aback.

“It’s the festival of Winter Star and we are somewhere where you can actually see the star. Certainly you can think of something good to say so that they can be carried on into the next year by the star.”

“Is that even a thing?”

“It is now. I will start, I am good a collecting eggs without upsetting chickens.”

Apparently that was the right thing to say because Shane smiled. He actually looked pretty nice when he smiled. A slight dimple showed up among his stubble.

“Fine. I am good at telling a chicken’s mood.”

“See? What that so hard?” She wanted to be a bit nicer than that but she was sure he would bolt if she tried to be actually nice without the sarcasm.

“Yeah, yeah.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I need a beer.”

“We don’t have any here.”

“Then I will go find some.” He walked away without saying anything else. Adelaide hoped he wouldn’t drink himself into a stupor. 

She walked over to join Leah and Elliott.

“Hi.” Leah pulled her into a hug. “Elliott was just regaling him with the latest exploits of his brave heroine.”

Elliott blushes a little. “It’s not very exciting so far.”

“I like it and you aren’t falling into the stupid traps for most romantic books.”

“Oh, so you are going with romance? I remember you were having a hard time picking a genre.”

He nodded, “Yes. That storyline is the one that seems to speak to me the most so I will try to stick with it.”

“Maybe she falls in love with an alien. That way you can have the best of both worlds.”

“Maybe you stick to wood and I stick to paper.”

“Rude, so rude.” Leah leaned her head on Adelaide’s shoulder. “He is so rude to me. Remind me why we are friends with him.”

She laughed. “He’s pretty?”

“Hmmm, true.”

“You ladies warm my heart.” He smiled at them so she wasn’t worried that their banter was hurting his feelings. She nursed her drink slowly enjoying spending the holiday with her friends. Yes, this year’s festival was a definite improvement over last year’s party.


	2. Chapter 2

**WINTER YEAR 2**

Adelaide looked out her kitchen window to see that the first snow of the season had fallen overnight. It was only a thin layer of snow that would be melted as the sun rose high but it was the start of a long season. She still didn’t like the snow she was unsure if she ever would like it. She set the last of her dishes to dry before heading out the door. To her surprise she found Shane sitting on her porch steps. He stood when he saw her.

“Hey.”

“Shane, Hi.”

There was a brief pause as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I know it’s early but there was something I really wanted to show you.”

“Yeah? Does it have to do with chickens?”

Shane laughed. She had come to realize she really liked his laugh, especially when it showed off his dimple. “Nah, I do like more things than chickens you know.”

“I know.”

“Good…here.” He held his fist out to her. She placed her hand out and tried to ignore the tingles that when up her arm when his fingers brushed against her palm. He had placed a small wooden token in her hand. She held it up to get a better look. There was a large one craved into each side. Under the one was the letter M. While she had never seen one before she had a good idea what it was. She clearly remember what had happened a little over a month ago.

“It’s your sobriety chip.”

“Yeah, since you are the second reason I am doing this I thought I should show you.”

“Thanks, that means a lot to me. Can I ask what is the first reason?”

He sighed, “I suppose it should be me or to make my life better but I can’t really say I cared that much. It’s all of Jas. I couldn’t do it for myself but I can do it for her, for you.”

The air hung heavy with those last words. She wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t seem like he was done speaking so she just waiting.

“Look, Adelaide. I just want to say this. It doesn’t have to change anything and I’m not asking anything of you. I just am working on saying things I mean and this is something that is on my chest.”

“Okay.”

“I really like you. You actively cared about, whether it’s just you being nice or something else, more, it doesn’t matter. It was enough to show me that maybe not everything and everyone was crap. I don’t know if what I am feeling is real romantic feelings or if I’m just not use to basic human decency. I’ve been numb for so long I just can’t tell. Even if I could tell or did know I don’t want to rush into anything. I want to focus on getting myself on track first.”

“I’m sorry, I’m a little confused. What are you saying exactly?”

“I think I like you but I’m not sure. And if I do like you, I still want to just focus on making myself better, more stable. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us if we started something now. I’m not asking for any promise or for you to wait. If someone confesses their feeling to you I don’t want you to think about me, just think about how you feeling.” His face was flushed with embarrassment and his words were coming out faster the more he spoke but she was still able to understand him.

“I get it. You don’t have to explain more if you don’t want to. It’s okay.”

“Great.” He suddenly crouched down and placed his head between his knees.

“Oh! Shane!”

He waved her off. “It’s okay. I just feel a little sick.”

“Sick?” asked Adelaide alarmed.

“Just from nerves. I’ve been trying to do this for like three days. I chugged a sparkling water for nerves but it just isn’t the same. All it’s done is make me want to burp.”

“Oh…” She wasn’t sure what to say. “Do…you want regular water?”

“Nah, I’m good.” He peered at her through his shaggy hair. “Did I mess things up?”

She shook her head. “No, Shane you didn’t mess things up. I get what you are saying. I’m fine staying friends. We can see if later it becomes something more or if we stay the same.” She wasn’t entirely sure of her own feelings so she wouldn’t burden him with them till later. If later ever came.

“Good, great.” He looked like he desperately wanted to stop talking.

“Well, since you are here do you want to help me with the chickens?”

Shane stood, “Okay, yeah sure.”

“Let’s go then.” She lead him off the pouch and down towards the coop.


End file.
